sputter
/'spʌtə/ Cách viết khác : (splutter) /'spʌtə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (intransitive):
- To make a series of short, sharp, popping, or spitting sounds, often due to irregular or failing operation.
- To speak or utter words in a rapid, confused, and explosive manner, especially when angry or excited.
- To spit or throw out small particles (like liquid, sparks, or food) in an explosive manner.
Verb (transitive):
- To utter or say something with a spitting sound or in a rapid, explosive manner.
- In physics, to cause (atoms) to be removed from a solid surface by bombardment with energetic particles.
Noun:
- The act or sound of sputtering.
- A rapid, explosive, and often incoherent utterance.
Usage Examples
- Verb (intransitive):
- The old car's engine began to sputter and then died.
- He was so angry he could only sputter in protest.
- The bacon sputtered in the hot pan.
- Verb (transitive):
- She sputtered an apology, her face turning red.
- The ion beam is used to sputter material from the target onto the substrate.
- Noun:
- The only response was a sputter of indignation.
- We heard the sputter of a motorcycle outside.
Advanced Usage
- "Sputter out": To gradually fail or come to an end in a weak, irregular, or intermittent way.
- The conversation sputtered out into an awkward silence.
- The rebellion sputtered out after its leader was captured.
Variants and Related Words
- Splutter: Often used interchangeably with , especially regarding speech or the emission of particles. It can emphasize confusion or wetness in speech.
- He spluttered as the water went down the wrong pipe.
- Sputtering (adj/n): The process or characteristic of making a sputtering sound.
- A sputtering candle. The sputtering of the radio signal.
Synonyms
- For sound/operation: Splutter, spatter, crackle, pop, misfire.
- For speech: Stammer, stutter, bluster, jabber.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Sputter out: See "Advanced Usage" above.
Related Idioms
- To be in a sputter: To be in a state of agitated, incoherent excitement or anger.
- The news left the whole office in a sputter.
Noun
- an utterance (of words) with spitting sounds (as in rage)
- the noise of something spattering or sputtering explosively
- he heard a spatter of gunfire
Verb
- spit up in an explosive manner
- utter with a spitting sound, as if in a rage
- climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
- cause to undergo a process in which atoms are removed
- The solar wind protons must sputter away the surface atoms of the dust
- make an explosive sound
- sputtering engines